Warts
by Hana Rui
Summary: A collection of poetry inspired by the characters of the series. Third poem up: Bleed, an ode to Gaara.
1. Eyes On Me

**#01 EYES ON ME**

_(Hinata's Ode To Naruto)_

You were never good enough  
for anybody,  
but you've always been the best  
for me.  
Like a stray egg on a nest of whites,  
I've watched you grow  
into a mighty eagle,  
brave and raw

…I admire you…

I've always wondered what fuels you  
to fight  
when everybody else thinks you're in  
too tight.  
You are the most underrated fighter  
I have ever known  
but you never did give up on anything  
until your worth you have shown.

…I adore you…

I've always had my eyes set only  
on you;  
'coz everything you say and do always  
seems so new.  
You are the very epitome of courage,  
flaring and true  
and it strengthens me now to know  
that you're finally watching me, too…

This fight is  
For you…

**Note: **In her explosive battle with the girly-looking guy what's his name again, I believe Hinata was a winner in her own right. Although she failed the exam, technically speaking, she was victorious in her desire to outgrow and transcend her old weakling self. This being the case, I think she has earned a prize worth more than being the best. Not to mention that, through this, she has won Naruto's respect as a fellow fighter as well. You go girl!


	2. By Your Blood

**#02 BY YOUR BLOOD**

_(Naruto's Ode To Hinata)_

I've never known you could be  
so courageous  
strong and subtle  
like a rushing sough;  
never thought you could be  
such a fighter  
fixed, resolute  
and tough.

You've always lagged in a  
secluded nook,  
seemingly so out of place  
So out of time;  
you never did once join those hordes of  
shrieking girls,  
and it's always made me  
wonder why…

You've always been nice and considerate  
to me,  
helping me out in whatever way  
possible;  
never did it once occur to my  
scattered head  
that you could be this downright  
incredible!

I can clearly remember how hard  
you have fought  
with every inch of your willful  
heat.  
How many times you've firmly  
stood your ground  
on your once too-feeble  
feet.

How hard you have tried to endure  
each jarring swipe,  
and how many drops of blood have left  
your fragile veins.  
Yes, all of these have stayed etched  
on my mind,  
giving me an eager resolution to fight  
for a friend.

Whatever others feel like saying, for me  
you did your best.  
Though I may sometimes be so wordy  
(and such an airhead too!)  
I hope you do take  
to heart  
these words I say  
to you—

Listen now and listen carefully,  
my friend,  
I never did breach on  
my word.  
So when I pledge my guts, my fist to fight  
for your dignity, your cause  
trust me, I really  
surely would…

By every inkling drop  
of your precious  
Blood.

**Note: **Though Naruto's not exactly my ultimate favorite, I love him just as much as I do other simple-minded anime protagonists—most of them are like that anyway! The best thing about this kind of characters is that, they never give up fighting for their own principles as well as for their friend's cause. Even if it costs them their very lives! Naruto-sama may be a little airy and obnoxious, true. But I believe it is just his way of gaining and maintaining strength despite being rated as a useless, no-good fighter. And well, it always works for him, doesn't it? I especially like it when he said he didn't like being treated so lowly and he looked so downright determine to prove his worth to everyone. I bet he doesn't want his friends to be treated in the same way as well, and would do anything it takes to avenge the mauling of his friends' dignity. Don't you just wanna hug him?


	3. Bleed

**A brief explanation on this collection's title: **I get to watch Naruto only on local dub, and in the earlier part of the series, Sasuke and Kakashi (they were the ones I heard the most) had this habit of snidingly calling Naruto "kulugo", which is the Filipino term for "Warts". I have originally intended to write poems centering on Naruto alone and keeping them all here, but since I get to watch Naruto again and am actually getting caught further and further into the series, meeting the other characters as though they were old acquaintances, and feeling the burst of emotions in each episode as though they were my own, I have decided to fill this space up with all the poems I can come up with while I'm currently transfixed in the wonders of this particularly awesome anime.

* * *

**BLEED  
**_Ode to Gaara_

Darkness slowly closes in  
and engulfs the light of innocence  
a heart bleeds for a pain undefined  
as a downpour of fading tears  
knocks desperately upon impassive ground

The earth never heard the call  
it never did care enough to listen  
the sky pretends not to have seen at all  
it has always shut itself from the truth  
blindly letting a demon be christened

At the foot of heaven's pretentious mercy  
lies a child, stricken and bound  
trapped within an evil, an insatiable whim  
a blood-hungry monster  
tormented by a life unkind

Every pained howl, every crimson burst  
bears a catalyst to the numbing soul  
an essence overtaken by the beast  
watching the rest of the world squirm  
and bleed and die at his feet

He can hear them cry  
he is wicked enough to listen  
can see them all clearly  
for he is merciless enough to care  
he breathes upon a truth with unrelenting fervor  
the world has so graciously defined his destiny  
and he is only giving back the favor.

* * *

Yup, that's all for now. Thanks for reading, minna-san! 


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